By:  Valerie Barth

Being a fitness professional, I have heard almost every excuse known to man about why someone couldn’t eat healthy or exercise.  The excuse I hear most frequently is that their job gets in the way and there is no time. Now don’t get me wrong, I definitely see the challenges in this kind of hustle and bustle workplace environment, but let’s be honest, there are so many small things we can do daily to drastically impact our lives from a health standpoint. Our bodies are our machines, so why do we spend our days running other people’s machines (businesses/corporations) and completely forget about our own? At the end of the day, your emotional wellbeing not only impacts your mental, physical, and emotional health, but it will also make you a better employee.

Here are some simple suggestions on staying healthy in the workplace:

1.) Always keep a bottle of water at your desk. – Stay HYDRATED
2.) PREPARE for your snacks and lunch at work. Bring healthy snacks such as pita chips and hummus or almond butter and apples and keep them at your desk. If you go to a business lunch or out with co-workers choose your meal wisely (lean protein and a complex carbohydrate is ideal).  Be your own boss when it comes to what you eat.
3.) When you get up to use the restroom throughout the day (which you should frequently due to your water intake), walk up a flight of stairs and go to the upstairs restroom, or take a lap around your floor and say hello to people you normally don’t. Basically get up and MOVE.
4.) Stand up and stretch every hour. Don’t let your body stay in one position for too long. It will lead to many biomechanical issues in the future. Keep your MUSCLES awake.
5.)   Start a lunchtime 20 min walk with other employees or by yourself.
It is very important to put your health first and make time for yourself, even in the most chaotic of work days. As you can see, there is in fact TIME to be healthy in the workplace. As we all know, our schedules are our priorities, and my challenge to you is to make your machine a priority and invest in YOU!

Valerie Barth is an ACSM certified fitness specialist and NESTA certified Fitness Nutrition Coach. She graduated from UGA with a degree in exercise and sport science and has been in the industry ever since. Her passion is helping people! You can find out more about Valerie by visiting her LinkedIn profile.